Global health organization verifies effectiveness of malaria inoculation in three African nations: Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi

A groundbreaking study has yielded conclusive evidence that the RTS,S malaria vaccine has substantially curtailed child mortality rates in the inaugural three African nations to adopt it, namely Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi.

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According to a press release issued by the World Health Organisation on Friday, the vaccine has been shown to prevent approximately one in eight child deaths among eligible recipients over a four-year period, as outlined in findings published in The Lancet.

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The evaluation, which scrutinised data from the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme spanning 2019 to 2023, suggests that the vaccine's beneficial impact may be equally pronounced or even more significant in other African countries that are presently administering malaria vaccines to young children in areas with a high malaria burden.

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Kate O’Brien, the World Health Organisation’s Director of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals, has asserted that the findings constitute robust evidence of the vaccine's potential to reshape the trajectory of child mortality on the continent, underscoring the need to surmount funding hurdles to expedite rollout.

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O’Brien further emphasised that while demand is high and supply is adequate, additional financing is required to enable countries to procure sufficient vaccine doses, as well as other malaria prevention tools, to reach all children at risk of severe disease or death.

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Despite notable progress on the global front, malaria remains a leading cause of death among African children, with an estimated 438,000 fatalities reported in 2024 alone.

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Daniel Ngamije Madandi, the WHO’s Director of Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, has stated that vaccination serves to bolster malaria response when combined with other proven interventions, thereby increasing access to malaria prevention in countries that employ a multifaceted approach to optimise impact.

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Madandi noted that the integration of vaccination with other proven interventions can substantially enhance the impact in areas with moderate to high transmission rates.

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The study authors have also observed that the four-dose vaccine schedule presents opportunities to administer other childhood vaccines, such as measles and meningitis shots, in conjunction with health interventions like vitamin A supplementation and insecticide-treated nets.

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The evaluation has further confirmed that the introduction of the malaria vaccine has not had any adverse effects on the uptake of other childhood vaccines or the use of other malaria prevention measures.

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Currently, 25 endemic countries in Africa offer malaria vaccines as part of their childhood immunisation programmes, with over 10 million children targeted annually, yet funding constraints are hindering many countries from scaling up vaccination efforts to meet national targets.

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Notwithstanding sufficient supplies of WHO-recommended vaccines, RTS,S and R21, to meet existing demand, funding limitations persist, underscoring the need for increased financial support.

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The evaluation was conducted by a team of scientists from the WHO, Africa-based research institutions, and other global health bodies, including the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.